Department-selecting mechanism for automatically-played organs.



. /vihaeoo W. E. HASKELL.

DEPARTMENT SELECTING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY PLAYED ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED mm 29, \Qlfi.

1,230,895. Patented June 26, 1917.

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DEPARTMENT SELECTING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY PLAYED ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29.1915.

1 ,23Q,895 Patented June 26, 1917.

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DEPARTMENT SELECTING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY PLAYED ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1916.

1 ,230,895 Ebenbmi June 26, 1917 e VZZZYZZIfi/E HaskZZ GUM/MAM? w. E. HASKEL L.

DEPARTMENT SELECTlNG MECHANESM FOR AUTOMATICALLY PLAYED ORGANS. 1,280,895.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 29.1916.

Patented June 26, 191?.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. HASKELL, OF BRATTLEIBORO, VERMONT, A-SSIGNOR TO ESTEY ORGAN COM- PANY, OE BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT, A CORPORATION OF VERMONT.

DEPARTMENT-SELECTING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY-PLAYED ORGANS.

Application filed June 29, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, YVILLIAM E. HxsKnLL, of Brattleboro, in the county of indham and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved Department-Seiecting Mechanism for Automatically-Played Organs, of which the following is a specification.

In automatic or self-playingpipe organs in which the selection of the sounding devices is through a perforated music sheet and a tracker having two sets of holes ccoperating with corresponding sets of perforations in the music sheet, it is customary to select the solo from the upper row of holes in the tracker, and the accompaniment from the lower row of holes. The normal arrangement is to play the solo on the swell organ and the accompaniment on the great organ. Frequently, however, it is desirable to reverse conditions and to play the solo on the great organ through the upper tracker holes, and the accon'ipaniment on the swell organ through the lower holes. It is desirable also at times to use the full organ, both solo and accompaniment being played both on the great organ and the swell organ.

The present invention consists in manually governed selecting mechanism which facilitates the stated selection of the great and swell departments of the organ. The characteristics of the invention will be best understood after a description of the specific embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompany drawings, wherein Figure 1, is a view of the upper side of the selecting mechanism, parts being broken away to better exhibit the mechanism. Fig. 2, is a view of the lower side of the selecting mechanism, parts being broken away to fa eilitate illustration. Fig. 3, is a front view as seen by the organist. Fig. l, is a cross section in the plane indicated by the line l-l in Fig. 1. Figs. 5, 6, 7 and S, are longitudinal sections in the planes indicated respectively by the lines 55, 66, 77, 88, in Fig. at.

The selecting mechanism constituting the present invention is mounted in a supporting casing secured to the organ in position to disclose hand governed knobs within convenient sight and reach of the organist. These knobs are illustrated in Fig. 3. As there shown, there are eight knobs properly Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1917.

Serial No. 106,694.

designated to indicate swell solo, great solo, swell accompaniment, and great accompaniment, and also to indicate the normal position while playing, the reverse position while playing, the unison position while playing, and the zero position when all four of the great and swell knobs occupy their outer positions during which time there is no action of the sounding devices under the selection of the illustrated mechanism. In their idle positions all of the knobs occupy their outer or extended positions. Any one of the four upper knobs can be pushed in independently at any time and will stay in until an appropriate one of the four knobs of the lower row is pushed in. Accordingly, the department of the organ selected by any one of the four upper knobs can be brought into action independently at the will of the organist.

Each one of the four knobs of the lower row is spring controlled (as hereinafter described) so that it at once resumes its outer position automatically when relieved from pressure exerted by the hand of the organist.

Assume that all of the illustrated knobs stand in the outer idle position and that the organist wishes to have the solo played on the swell organ and the accompaniment on the great organ, which is the customary combination. The organist then pushes in the lower knob marked Normal and concurrently with this movement the knobs marked Sw. solo and Gt. acc. likewise move in and the sounding devices thereby controlled are brought into active condition. As soon as the organist takes his finger off the Normal knob that knob resumes its outer position. The swell solo and great accompaniment knobs remain in. The result is that upper tracker holes govern the swell organ, and the lower holes the great organ.

It, then, the requirements of the musical composition make it desirable that the solo should be played on the great organ and the accompaniment should be played on the swell organ, the organist pushes in the knob of the lower row marked Reverse. As he does this the two outer knobs in the upper row marked Sw. solo and Gt. ace. move outward to their idle positions while at the same time the two middle knobs marked Gt. solo and Sw. ace. move inwardly to their positions where they render active the corresponding departments of the organ, the great organ being now governed from the upper tracker holes, and the swell organ from the lower tracker holes. As soon as the organist withdraws his finger from the reverse knob, it resumes its outer position while the four knobs of the top row maintain the positions to which they have moved. Had all of the knobs occupied their outer positions at the outset and should the reverse knob then have been pushed in, the two middle knobs of the upper row marked Gtfsolo and Sw. acc. would be moved in andremain in while the two outer knobs of the upper row marked Sw. solo and Gt. acc. would not be afi'ected.

Again, if the organist wishes to have both departments of the organ played from both rows of tracker holes, he pushes in the knob of the lower row marked Unison whereupon all four of the upper row of knobs move in to their active positions and remain in those positions when the Unison knob automatically moves outwardly upon the withdrawal of pressure therefrom by the organist. \Vhenever the unison knob is pressed in, any one of the upper knobs which had been standing out, moves in irrespective of whether all of the upper knobs were standing out or any number of them. lVhatever knobsof the upper row are standing out when the unison knob is pushed, they move in.

The knob of the lower row marked Zero enables the organist to restore to the outer position all of the knobs oft-he upper row which may be standing in. If the organist presses on the Zero knob, immediately the inward standing knobs of the upper row move outwardly, whatever the number of the inwardly pushed knobs of the upper row maybe. Then, when the organist removes his finger from the ero knob it is automatically restored to its outer position and all knobs of the upper row remain in their outer. positions, the sounding devices so far this controlling mechanism is concerned being out of action and mute.

' The, arrangement of knobs illustrated thus enables the organist to quickly select the de partments of the organ at will in accordance with the way in which he wishes the musical composition to be rendered.

Thus far, the description has been confined to what it is necessary for the organist to know and do in using the illustrated mechanism.

The cooperating devices which bring about the stated results will now be described.

The four knobs of the upper row marked Sw. solo., Gt. solo, Sw. ace. and Gt. acc..are carried at the outer ends of sliding and guided organ selecting bars A, B, C, and D, respectively. Each of these selecting bars near-its inner end carries a laterally extending metal bridge a, best shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Each bridge cooperates with two overlying metallic springs Z) and 0, constituting terminals of an electric circuit. Each spring Z), is electrically connected with an overlying bus-bar (Z (Fig. 1), which is in communication through wire 6, with one pole of an electric generator. The other contact spring 0, is metallically and electrically connected to a binding post 7, to which is secured a wire g, extending to the other pole of the electric generator. These electrical connections are similar for each oi the four bars A, B, C, and D. In the electriccircuit governed by each sliding bar there is an electromagnet which governs the movement of a valve whereby a department of the organ is rendered active or inactive, this organization not being illustrated be cause constituting no part of the present in; vention and because it may be of any con struction now well known in the art, or as disclosed in a copending application filed Jan. 22, 1917, Serial Number 143,750.

The bridge a, carried by any one of the sliding bars is always in contact with the spring 7). Each springZ), is provided at its free end with oppositely inclined cams it and i, which bear yieldingly upon the bridge a, in its different positions thereby affording frictional resistance to maintain the corresponding selecting bar in its outer and inner positions. For example, referring to Fig. 5, the cam incline/t, acts upon the bridge i, behind, thereby maintaining the bar D, in its outer position. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 6, the cam incline i, bears on the forward part of the corresponding bridge a, thereby maintaining the illustrated. bar C, in its inner position. At the same time, the outer end of each spring Z), yielr s readily to permit the out and in movements of the corresponding selecting bar.

lVhen any bar A, B, C, or D, occupies its outer position, the corresponding bridge a, not in contact with the spring 2' (as shown in Figs. 5 and 7), and, consequently, the corresponding electric circuit is broken and the thereby governed department of the organ is rendered inactive. On the other hand, when a bar is pushed in (as shown in Figs. 6 and 8.) its bridge a, is in contact with both coacting springs Z2 andc, thereby closing the electric circuit and bringing into action the corresponding department of the organ.

The organization is such that (1) when the bar A, is pushed in, the upper tracker holes play the swell organ; (2) when the bar B, is pushed in, the upper tracker holes play the great organ; (3) when the bar C, is pushed in, the lower tracker holes play the swell organ; and (4) when the bar D, is pushed in, the lower tracker hoies play the great organ.

The several bars A, B, O, and D, (and also the bars H, N, R and X, hereinafter de scribed) are provided with project-ions, conveniently consisting of pins, through which motion is transmitted. Some of these pins project in one direction, and others in the opposite direction. To identify these pins, they will be described as extending upwardly, and downwardly, in accordance with the positions shown in the drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the actual direction in space is immaterial, since it is merely a matter of convenience whether the bars extend vertically or longitudinally.

Each bar A, B, C, and D, has a limited sliding movement. Each has an adjustable padded stop j, at the rear which comes in contact with the rear wall of the casing, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, to limitthe inward movement of the bars. Each of the bars A and D, has an upwardly projecting stop pin L, near its front end which comes in contact with a fixed padded rail E, at the front of the casing to limit the outward movement of the corresponding bar, as shown in Fig. 5. The bar B, has an upwardly projecting pin F, and the bar C, has an upwardly projecting pin G, which act as stop pins in connection with the rail E, to limit outward movement.

Each of the movable selecting bars A, B, (I, and D, can be pushed inwardly and inde pendently by hand at the will of the organist. Any or all of the bars which have been pushed in can be moved outwardly by pushing inwardly upon the knob marked Zero in the lower row as shown in Fig. 8. As shown in Figs. 2, 4: and 5, this Zero knob is at the front end of a sliding and guided actuating bar H. This bar H, is normally maintained. in its outer position by means of a spring 1, and is restored thereby to its outer position after being moved inwardly when the pressure of the organists linger is withdrawn. This bar H, has a limited sliding movement, its movements in different directions being limited by stops similar to those employed in connection with the bars A, B, C, and D. That is to say, the bar H, has an adjustable padded stop pin j, at the rear cooperating with the rear wall of the casing, and at its front it has a clownwardly projecting stop pin Z, which cooperates with a fixed padded rail J, as shown in Fig. 6.

The zero actuating bar H, controls all of the bars A, B, C, and D, through an actuator consisting of a roller or rocker K. This actuator or roller K, is a skeleton frame having pintles m, at its opposite ends (Fig. 1) which are journaled in bearings at the ends of the casing so that the roller may rock back and forth. This actuator straddles the bars A, B, C, and D. Its lower arm a, extends through an open slot 0 (Fig. 5), in a bracket L, secured to and constituting a part of the Zero bar H. The upper arm 1), lies behind a projection consisting of padded pin M, on each of the bars A, B, C, and D. hen the zero bar H, occupies its outer postion, as shown in Fig. 5, the actuator K, occupies the illustrated position in which it does not in any way interfere with the full and free forward and backward movements of the bars A, B, G, and D. As shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the pins M, are clear forward and spaced well in front of the upper arm 7), of the actuator K, so as not to interfere with the swing of the actuator K, or to be influenced thereby. On the other hand, as shown in F 6 and S, the pins M, are in their rearward positions and are just in contact with the upper arm 7), of the actuator K. It is obvious that with the actuator K, in the position shown in Figs. 5, 7 and 8, and in full lines in Fig. 6, the several bars A, B, C, and D, can move back and forth to their full. extent without obstruction by the actuator K.

Assume, however, that any of the selecting bars is in the rearward position, as in the case of the bars A and G, illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8, with their respective pins M, just in front of the upper arm 7), of the actuator K. Then, if the Zero actuating bar H, is pushed inwardly, the actuator K, will be swung to the position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 6, thereby moving the arm 7), forwardly and hence pushing the pins M, and their respective bars A and C, forwardly to their outer positions. This will be true of any of the selecting bars which have been pushed to the rear. Then, when the organist removes his finger from the Zero knob, the spring I, will restore the Zero bar to its normal forward position and the actuator K, will be returned to its normal position with its upper arm 7), back and distant from the pins M, to the full. extent of the back and forth movement of the bars A, B, C, and l).

The knob marked Normal in Fig. 3, is at the front end of a sliding actuating bar N, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and S. This bar N, is moved and held forward by a spring I, and is stopped in opposite positions by a pin Z, and a stop j, just as in the case of the Zero bar H. Through a connected slotted bracket L (similar to that of the zero bar H), the normal bar N, governs the position of an actuator consisting of a pivoted roller t), similar to the roller K, cooperating with the zero bar H. The upper arm 7), of the ac tuator 0, extends back of projections consisting of the pins F and G (Figs. 6 and 7) of the bars B and C, respectively. The

lower arm n, of the actuator 0, extends in front of projections consisting of padded pins P and Q, on the bars A and D, respectively, as shown in Figs. 5 and S. .Accorit ingly, if all of the selecting bars are forward and then the Normal knob and its actuating bar N, are vpushed inwardly, the lowerarm n, of the actuatorO, is swung to the rear thereby pushing against the depending pins P and Q,-thereby moving inwardly the respective bars A and D. Fig. 5, shows the pin Q, in its outer position ready to receive the inward thrust of the arm a, of the actuator 0; whereas Fig. 8, shows the pin P, pushed inwardly to the extent of the inward movement of the arm a, of the actuator O. This brings the Sw. solo and the Gt. acc. departments of the organ into cooperation with the upper and lower tracker holes respectively.

If at the time the normal knob is to be thrust inwardly, the bars B and C, occupy their inward positions, they will be moved outwardly as the result of the inward move ment of the normal actuating bar N. This action is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 6, shows the bar C, in its inward position with its pin G, just in front of the upber arm 72, of the actuator 0. Then the normal bar N, is pushed inwardly the upper arm 79, of .the actuator 0, will be moved forwardly thereby pushing the pin G, and the bar 7C, forwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 7, of the pin F, and the bar B. Therefore, the effect of moving the normal knob inwardly is to leave the bars A and D, in' their inward positions and the bars B and .C, in their outer positions whatever the position of these bars may have been prior to the inward "movement of the normal actuating bar.

The knob marked Reverse in Fig. 3, is at the front end of a horizontally sliding actuating bar R, which has a spring I, and stops and Z, similar to the zero bar H. This bar R, is shown in Figs. 2, 4E, and 7. It has an. attached slotted bracket L, similar to that of the bar H, which cooperates with a similar actuator or roller S. The upper arm 7), of the roller S, is behind upwardly eX- tending padded projections or .pins T and U, on the bars A and D, respectively. The lower arm n, of the roller S, is in front of padded projections or .pins V and WV, on the bars B and C, respectively, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Assume, now, that the selecting bars A, B, C, and D, are in the position which they occupy when the normal key has been pushed in, that is to say with the bars A and D, in and the bars B and C, out. If then the reverse knob is pushed in thereby pushing in the actuating bar R, the actuator S, will be rocked. Its forwardly moving upper arm 79, will encounter the pins T and U, and move them and their bars A and D, forwardly. Fig 8, shows the bar R, at the rear Consequently the forward movement of the arm 79, of the actuator S, will carry the pin T, and the bar A, forwardly to the position illustrated for the pin U, and the bar D, in Fig. .5. At the same time, the lower arm 9,, of the actuator S, moves rearwardly, thereby encountering the pins V and 7, on the bars B and C, thereby moving them rearw-ardly. Fig. ,7,

shows thearm n, of the actuator S, just in front of the pin C, and the rearward movement of the arm n, of the actuator S, will move the pin V, and the bar D, to the posi tion shown for the pin and the bar (I, in Fig. 6. V

The effect of the inward movement of the reverse knob is to always leave the bars A and B, forward and the bars 3B and C, back irrespective of the position such vbars may have occupied before the reverse knobis manipulated. As the result, the great organ is splayed from the upper tracker holes, and the swell organ from the lower row.

The knob marked Unison .in Fig. 3, is at the forward end of a slidingactuating bar X, as illustrated in Figs. 2, tand 6. This bar X, has a spring I, and stops 7' and Z, similar to .those of the bar H. Also, like the bar H, it has an attached open slotted bracket L, which cooperates with a swing ing actuator or roller Y. The'upper arm 7), of the roller Y, has no function and might be omitted except that it is convenient to make all four rollers just alike for economy in manufacture and assembly. The lower arm a, cooperates with four depending padded projections or pins Z, one on each of the bars A, B, C and D. The arm n, is in front .of all four pins Z, being in front of the pin Z, whose bar is all the way forward as in the cases of the bars B and D, as shown in Figs. 5 and .7. WVhen the unison knob is pushed inwardly, the correspondmg actuator Y, will be swung on its axis and all of the bars A, B, .C, and D, which were forward will be moved rearwardly. For example, with the position .of-the bars as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, when .the unison actuating bar X, is pushed in, the lower arm a, of its actuator Y, will encounter the pins Z, on the bars B and D, and push them in to the positions shown for the bars A and C. in Figs. 6 and 8. The result is that when ever the unison bar X, is pushed in all of the bars A, B, C, and D, will be left in their rearward positions whatever position they may have occupied in advance; and both departments of the organ will be played by both rows of tracker holes.

The several pro ections on the bars A, B, C, and D, which cooperate with the several actuators are so located and spaced along the respective selecting bars that each actuator cooperates only with its own proper pins. The actuator K, cooperates only with the pins M, never encountering the pins Z. The actuator Y, cooperates only with the pins Z, never reaching the pins M, behind, nor the pins T, U, V, and V, in front. The actuator S, cooperates only withrthe pins T, U, V, and never reaching the pins Z, behind, nor the pins F, G, O, and P, in front. The actuator O, cooperates only with the pins F, G, O, and P, never with the pins T, U, V, and behinc.

The construction is such that the rollers or actuators act upon the selecting bars either to move all in one direction, or all in the opposite direction, or part in one direction and part in the opposite direction in different groupings.

Specifically the actuators or rollers act upon the four selecting bars illustrated so that one actuator moves all the bars out, a second actuator moves all the bars in, a third actuator moves two of the bars out and two of the bars in, and the fourth actuator moves the two bars out which the third actuator moves in and moves the two bars in which the third actuator moves out.

I claim 1. A hand governed selecting mechanism for automatically played organs having in combination, a row of four sliding organ selecting bars A, B, C, D, each with a metal bridge a, four spaced pins two projecting in one direction and two in the opposite direc tion and an accessible knob, said pins being the pins F, G, M, P, Q, T, U, V, WV and Z; four swinging rollers K, O, S, Y, each with two arms one of which is on one side of and the other on the opposite side of all of the selecting bars, one arm of the roller K, cooperating with projecting pins M, on all the selecting bars to move them for wardly, one arm of the roller Y, cooperating with pins Z on all the selecting bars to move them rearwardly, the arms on the roller cooperating with pins F and G on bars B and C respectively to move them forwardly, and with pins P and Q on bars A and D respectively to move them rearwardly, and the arms on the roller S, cooperating with pins T and U, on the bars A and D, respectively, to move them forwardly and with pins V and W, on the bars 13 and C, respectively, to move them rearwardly; a spring-moved actuating bar with an accessible knob operatively con- 3 nected with each roller to move it; and an electric circuit controlled by each bridge.

2. A hand governed selecting mechanism for automatically played organs having, in combination, a row of tour sliding organ selecting bars A, B, C, D, each with four spaced pins two projecting upwardly and two downwardly and an accessible knob; four swinging rollers each with two arms one of which is above and the other below all of the selecting bars, the upper arm of one roller cooperating with upwardly proj ecting pins on all the selecting bars to move them forwardly, the lower arm of a second roller cooperating with depending pins on all the selecting bars to move them rearwardly, the arms on a third roller cooperating with upwardly projecting pins on two of the controlling bars B and C respectively to move them forwardly, and with depending pins on the other two bars A and D respectively to move them rearwardly, and the arms on the fourth roller cooperating with upwardly extending pins on the bars A. and D respectively to move them forwardly and with depending pins on the bars B and C respectively to move them rear wardly; and a spring-moved actuating bar with an accessible knob operatively connected with each roller to move it.

3. A hand governed selecting mechanism for automatically played organs having, in combination, a row of four sliding organ selecting bars, each with difierently located projections; four swinging rollers each with two arms on opposite sides of all of the selecting bars, said rollers acting upon the projections on the selecting bars so that when one roller is moved all four bars will be moved in, when a second roller is moved all four bars will be moved out, when a third roller is moved two bars will be moved in and two out, and when the fourth roller is moved the two bars moved in by the third roller will be moved out while the two bars moved out by the third roller will be moved in; and a separate spring-moved actuating bar operatively connected with each roller to move it.

at. Selecting mechanism for automatically played organs having, in combination, movable organ selecting bars; swinging rollers each acting upon all said selecting bars either to move all in, or all out, or part in and part out in different groupings; and separate actuating bars, one operatively connected with each roller to move it.

5. Selecting mechanism for automatically played organs having, in combination, movable organ selecting bars; a plurality of movable actuators each acting upon all of said selecting bars and cooperating therewith to either move all of the bars in one direction or the other, or part one way and part the other in different groupings; and separate actuating bars, one cooperating with each actuator to move it.

6. A hand governed selecting mechanism for automatically played organs having, in combination, sliding organ selecting bars each with a metal bridge; two electric contact springs coacting with each of said bridges, one of said springs having cams cooperating with the bridge to yieldingly retain the corresponding bar in each of its two positions; a plurality of movable actuators each cooperating with all of said selecting bars; a separate bar for moving each actuator; and a spring acting on each actuating bar to move it in one direction.

7. A hand governed selecting mechanism for automatically played organs having, in combination, movable selecting bars; frictional means acting to maintain each bar in its different positions; actuators cooperating with allof the selecting bars to move them; and a separate springmoved actuating bar cooperating with each actuator to move it.

8. A hand governed selecting mechanism for automatically played organs having, in

combination, a sliding organ selecting bar "ith spaced pins or projections extending in opposlte d1rect1ons; swinging rollers each with four arms two on opposlte sides of the selecting bar and acting upon said pro- VILLIAM E. HASKELL.

(inpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingv the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

